2 Kings · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
2 Kings 6 Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Ezra and Nehemiah form one book (2 Esdras) in this edition; the reader shows them as Ezra 1–10 and Nehemiah 1–13.
1 Καὶ εἶπον υἱοὶ τῶν προφητῶν πρὸς Ἐλισαιὲ, ἰδοὺ δὴ ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἡμεῖς οἰκοῦμεν ἐνώπιόν σου στενὸς ἀφʼ ἡμῶν.
1 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.
2 Πορευθῶμεν δὴ ἕως τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, καὶ λάβωμεν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνὴρ εἷς δοκὸν μίαν, καὶ ποιήσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς ἐκεῖ τοῦ οἰκεῖν ἐκεῖ· καὶ εἶπε, δεῦτε.
2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let’s make us a place there, where we may live.” He answered, “Go!”
3 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ εἷς ἐπιεικῶς, δεῦρο μετὰ τῶν δούλων σου· καὶ εἶπεν, ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι.
3 One said, “Please be pleased to go with your servants.” He answered, “I will go.”
4 Καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸν Ἰορδάνην, καὶ ἔτεμνον τὰ ξύλα.
4 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ εἷς καταβάλλων τὴν δοκὸν, καὶ τὸ σιδήριον ἐξέπεσεν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐβόησεν, ὤ κύριε, καὶ αὐτὸ κεκρυμμένον.
5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”
6 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποῦ ἔπεσε; καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ τὸν τόπον· καὶ ἀπέκνισε ξύλον καὶ ἔῤῥιψεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἐπεπόλασεν τὸ σιδήριον.
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.
7 Καὶ εἴρηκεν, ὕψωσον σεαυτῷ· καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα, καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτό.
7 He said, “Take it.” So he put out his hand and took it.
8 Καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἦν πολεμῶν ἐν Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ, λέγων, εἰς τὸν τόπον τόνδε τινὰ ἐλμωνὶ παρεμβαλῶ.
8 Now the king of Syria was at war against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
9 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἐλισαιὲ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ἰσραὴλ, λέγων, φύλαξαι μὴ παρελθεῖν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ὅτι ἐκεῖ Συρία κέκρυπται.
9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”
10 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸν τόπον ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἐλισαιὲ, καὶ ἐφυλάξατο ἐκεῖθεν οὐ μίαν οὐδὲ δύο.
10 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.
11 Καὶ ἐξεκινήθη ἡ ψυχὴ βασιλέως Συρίας περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου· καὶ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς, οὐκ ἀναγγελεῖτέ μοι τίς προδίδωσί με βασιλεῖ Ἰσραήλ;
11 The king of Syria’s heart was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, “Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
12 Καὶ εἶπεν εἷς τῶν παίδων αὐτοῦ, οὐχί κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, ὅτι Ἐλισαιὲ ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἐν Ἰσραὴλ ἀναγγέλλει τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἰσραὴλ πάντας τοὺς λόγους, οὓς ἐὰν λαλήσῃς ἐν τῷ ταμείῳ τοῦ κοιτῶνός σου.
12 One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
13 Καὶ εἶπε, δεῦτε ἴδετε ποῦ οὗτος, καὶ ἀποστείλας λήψομαι αὐτόν· καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ, λέγοντες, ἰδοὺ ἐν Δωθαΐμ.
13 He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” He was told, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”
14 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖ ἵππον καὶ ἅρμα καὶ δύναμιν βαρεῖαν, καὶ ἦλθον νυκτὸς καὶ περιεκύκλωσαν τὴν πόλιν.
14 Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night and surrounded the city.
15 Καὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ λειτουργὸς Ἐλισαιὲ ἀναστῆναι, καὶ ἐξῆλθε· καὶ ἰδοὺ δύναμις κυκλοῦσα τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἵππος καὶ ἅρμα· καὶ εἶπε τὸ παιδάριον πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὦ κύριε, πῶς ποιήσομεν;
15 When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
16 Καὶ εἶπεν Ἐλισαιὲ, μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι πλείους οἱ μεθʼ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ τοὺς μετʼ αὐτῶν.
16 He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 Καὶ προσηύξατο Ἐλισαιὲ, καὶ εἶπε, Κύριε, διάνοιξον δὴ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ παιδαρίου καὶ ἰδέτω· καὶ διήνοιξε Κύριος τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶδε· καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ ὄρος πλῆρες ἵππων, καὶ ἅρμα πυρὸς περικύκλῳ Ἐλισαιέ.
17 Elisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
18 Καὶ κατέβησαν πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ εἶπε, πάταξον δὴ τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο ἀορασίᾳ· καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς ἀορασίᾳ, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα Ἑλισαιὲ.
18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s word.
19 Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ἑλισαιὲ, οὐχὶ αὕτη ἡ πόλις καὶ αὕτη ἡ ὁδός· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ἄξω ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα ὃν ζητεῖτε· καὶ ἀπήγαγεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς Σαμάρειαν.
19 Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led them to Samaria.
20 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἰσῆλθον εἰς Σαμάρειαν, καὶ εἶπεν Ἑλισαιὲ, ἄνοιξον δή Κύριε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἰδέτωσαν· καὶ διήνοιξε Κύριος τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶδου· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦσαν ἐν μέσῳ Σαμαρείας.
20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “Yahweh, open these men’s eyes, that they may see.” Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.
21 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ πρὸς Ἑλισαιὲ, ὡς εἶδεν αὐτοὺς, εἰ πατάξας πατάξω, πάτερ;
21 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?”
22 Καὶ εἶπεν, Οὐ πατάξεις, εἰ μὴ οὓς ᾐχμαλώτευσας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ σου καὶ τόξῳ σου σὺ τύπτεις· παράθες ἄρτους καὶ ὕδωρ ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, καὶ φαγέτωσαν καὶ πιέτωσαν, καὶ ἀπελθέτωσαν πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν.
22 He answered, “You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, then go to their master.”
23 Καὶ παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς παράθεσιν μεγάλην, καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἔπιον· καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν· καὶ οὐ προσέθεντο ἔτι μονόζωνοι Συρίας τοῦ ἐλθεῖν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ.
23 He prepared a great feast for them. After they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.
24 Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα, καὶ ἤθροισεν υἱὸς Ἅδερ βασιλεὺς Συρίας πᾶσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέβη, καὶ περιεκάθισαν ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν.
24 After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25 Καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς μέγας ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ· καὶ ἰδοὺ περιεκάθηντο ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἐγενήθη κεφαλὴ ὄνου πεντήκοντα ἀργυρίου, καὶ τέταρτον τοῦ κάβου κόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε ἀργυρίου.
25 There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
26 Καὶ ἦν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ διαπορευόμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους· καὶ γυνὴ ἐβόησε πρὸς αὐτὸν, λέγουσα, Σῶσον κύριε βασιλεῦ.
26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”
27 Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, μὴ σὲ σώσαι Κύριος, πόθεν σώσω σε; μὴ ἀπὸ ἅλωνος ἢ ἀπὸ ληνοῦ;
27 He said, “If Yahweh doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”
28 Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ βασιλεύς, τί ἐστι σοι; καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή, αὕτη εἶπε πρὸς μέ, δὸς τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ φαγόμεθα αὐτὸν σήμερον, καὶ τὸν υἱόν μου φαγόμεθα αὐτὸν αὔριον.
28 Then the king asked her, “What is your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29 Καὶ ἡψήσαμεν τὸν υἱόν μου καὶ ἐφάγομεν αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὴν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ, δὸς τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ φάγωμεν αὐτόν· καὶ ἔκρυψε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς.
29 So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.”
30 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ τοὺς λόγους τῆς γυναικὸς, διέῤῥηξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς διεπορεύετο ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους, καὶ εἶδεν ὁ λαὸς τὸν σάκκον ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκὸς αὑτοῦ ἔσωθεν.
30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.
31 Καὶ εἶπε, τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, εἰ στήσεται ἡ κεφαλὴ Ἑλισαιὲ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ σήμερον.
31 Then he said, “God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.”
32 Καὶ Ἑλισαιὲ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἐκάθηντο μετʼ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἄνδρα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ· πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν ἄγγελον πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς εἶπε πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους, εἰ εἴδετε ὅτι ἀπέστειλεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ φονευτοῦ οὗτος ἀφελεῖν τὴν κεφαλήν μου; ἴδετε ὡς ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ ἄγγελος, ἀποκλείσατε τὴν θύραν, καὶ παραθλίψατε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ θύρᾳ· οὐχὶ φωνὴ τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ;
32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”
33 Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος μετʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κατέβη πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ αὕτη ἡ κακία παρὰ Κυρίου· τί ὑπομείνω τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔτι;
33 While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from Yahweh. Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Ben-hadad
King of Aram who besieged Samaria with thirty-two kings, was spared and made a treaty by Ahab, later besieged Samaria again, and was smothered by Hazael while sick.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 20:1; 1 Kings 20:34; 2 Kings 6:24
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Kings 2:3; Isaiah 54:2–3; 1 Samuel 19:20; 1 Kings 20:35; Joshua 17:14
- 2 1 Corinthians 9:6; 1 Timothy 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Acts 18:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:8
- 3 Judges 4:8; 2 Kings 5:23; Judges 19:6; Job 6:28
- 4 Deuteronomy 19:5; Deuteronomy 29:11
- 5 2 Kings 6:15; Ecclesiastes 10:10; Revelation 18:10; 2 Kings 3:10; Psalm 37:21
- 6 2 Kings 2:21; Mark 8:23–25; Exodus 15:25; 2 Kings 4:41; Mark 7:33–34
- 7 2 Kings 4:36; 2 Kings 4:7; Exodus 4:4; Luke 7:15; Acts 9:41
- 8 2 Kings 6:24; Proverbs 20:18; Proverbs 21:30; 1 Kings 22:31; Job 5:12–13
- 9 Amos 3:7; 2 Kings 4:27; Revelation 1:1; 2 Kings 6:12; 1 Kings 20:13
- 10 Amos 7:1–6; 2 Kings 5:14; Acts 27:24; Hebrews 11:7; Exodus 9:20–21
- 11 1 Samuel 22:8; Isaiah 57:20–21; Psalm 48:4–5; 1 Samuel 28:21; Job 18:7–11
- 12 Daniel 2:28–30; Amos 3:7; Daniel 2:22–23; 2 Kings 6:9–10; Ecclesiastes 10:20
- 13 Genesis 37:17; John 11:47–53; Acts 23:12–27; Psalm 37:12–14; Psalm 37:32–33
- 14 2 Kings 18:17; Matthew 26:55; 1 Samuel 24:2; John 18:3–6; 1 Samuel 23:26
- 15 Matthew 8:26; 2 Chronicles 20:12; Exodus 24:13; Psalm 53:5; 2 Kings 6:5
- 16 Romans 8:31; Isaiah 41:10–14; 1 John 4:4; 2 Chronicles 32:7–8; Acts 18:9–10
- 17 Psalm 68:17; Psalm 34:7; Zechariah 6:1–7; Hebrews 1:14; Acts 26:18
- 18 Acts 13:11; John 12:40; Genesis 19:11; Job 5:14; John 9:39
- 19 2 Samuel 16:18–19; Mark 8:34; Matthew 16:24; Luke 24:16; Luke 9:23
- 20 2 Kings 6:17; Luke 24:31; Luke 16:23; Judges 20:40–42
- 21 2 Kings 5:13; 2 Kings 8:9; 2 Kings 2:12; 1 Samuel 24:19; 1 Samuel 24:4
- 22 Genesis 48:22; Romans 12:20–21; Hosea 2:18; Deuteronomy 20:11–16; 2 Chronicles 28:8–15
- 23 2 Kings 5:2; 2 Kings 24:2; Luke 6:35; 2 Kings 6:8–9; Luke 10:29–37
- 24 1 Kings 20:1; 2 Kings 17:5; 1 Kings 22:31; Ecclesiastes 9:14; Deuteronomy 28:52
- 25 Jeremiah 52:6; Jeremiah 14:18; 2 Kings 6:28–29; Jeremiah 14:13–15; Jeremiah 32:24
- 26 2 Samuel 14:4; Isaiah 10:3; Luke 18:3; Acts 21:28
- 27 Psalm 118:8–9; Psalm 124:1–3; Psalm 146:3; Psalm 62:8; Jeremiah 17:5
- 28 2 Samuel 14:5; Leviticus 26:29; Judges 18:23; Lamentations 4:10; Luke 23:29
- 29 Deuteronomy 28:53; Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:57; 1 Kings 3:26; Isaiah 66:13
- 30 1 Kings 21:27; Isaiah 58:5–7; 2 Kings 5:7; 2 Kings 19:1
- 31 Ruth 1:17; 1 Kings 19:2; Acts 23:12–13; Jeremiah 38:4; 1 Kings 2:23
- 32 Ezekiel 14:1; Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 20:1; 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:13–14
- 33 Job 2:9; Isaiah 8:21; Isaiah 50:10; Psalm 37:9; Job 1:21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And he cut down a tree, and cast it in there, and the iron floated." This was a sign that souls should be borne aloft (anagoges psuchon) through the instrumentality of wood, upon which He suffered who can lead those souls aloft that follow His ascension.